Beware Of Pride Of Personal Achievement

Paul used his personal experience to analyze how Satan can manipulate anyone into pride through personal achievement.

The enemy can trick someone to mistake God’s grace and blessing as mere fruits of human labor (which is a practice detested by God). Paul used his life as an example and said,

“…And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

Lesson on Pride of achievement

God created humanity to depend on him. He wants us to look up to him for every help that we need.

Even when we have adequate provisions, God still wants us to gratify whatever we have towards him.

The Creator simply does not want us to be self-sufficient. He is our sufficiency.

Meanwhile, human flesh tends to do the opposite of God’s expectations.

Flesh wants self-gratifications, which makes us prone to Satan’s temptations.

Meanwhile, since we Christians have the Spirit of God in us, we can mortify the desires of the flesh.

We can yield ourselves to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, which will make us satisfy God.

Hence, every child of God should be sensitive not to entertain human gratification that can cause us to sin against God.

(This fact does not negate the fact that we can be thankful of our achievement and have sense of accomplishment in it).

Prayer Against Pride of achievement

Dear God, please give me the grace to see you in all things that happen in my life.

Let me glorify you in my achievements. Enable me with the courage to honor you with everything I have.

Let your Holy Spirit empower me to live a pleasant life before you always, so that I can qualify for more blessings.